Apparatus for laundering



Dec. 29, 1931. T. L. LOWE 1,838,559

APPARATUS FOR LAUNDERING Filed Sept. 17. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet l IN V ENTOR.

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Dec. 29, 1931'. T. L. LowE 1,838,559v

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Dec. 29, 1931. T. 1 LOWE I APPARATUS FOR LAUNERING 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed. Sept. 17, 1926 'VENTOR ToRNEYs,

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washing machine, taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2s

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the wash wheel shownin Figs. 2 and G and with the clothes receptacles removed;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of part of an end portion of one of theseveral perforated receptacles for receiving and carrying the clothes,While being tumbled and Washed by the wheel, shown in 2, 6 and 7;

Fig. 9 is an end view of the receptacle shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. l0 shows a sectional side elevation of a portable and rotatablerack for carrying the several receptacles for containing andtransporting the articles to be washed;

Fig. 11 is an end view of portable rack shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 1? is a diagrammatical view of three of the rotatable racks eachcontaining four clothes receptacles as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, andarranged in relative locations for the purpose of receiving the severaldifferent classes of articles, of a given customers bundle, to bewashed; and

Fig. 13 shows a modification in the form of a single receptacle orpocket for receiving articles to be washed and adapted for use in mywashing machine.

I have deemed it advisable in illustrating the present invention torepresent a three unit type of washing and drying equipment since lbelieve it to be the most practical and commercial ferm of installation,espeeially for large laundries, smaller laundries could perhaps use atwo or even a one unit type of machine more economically.

The three unit type of machine layout, shown in Fig. 1, includes severalassociated portable racks for carrying the receptacles in which thearticles to be washed are assorted, transported to and from the washingmachine, and later distributed. The individual units of the washingmachine as well as the portable racks are designed to hold four of thesereceptacles each arranged in spaced relation to the axis of the machine,and each receptacle includes a series of compartments in which differentwashes or different articles of the same wash are placed. These racks,see Fig. 1, serve as a convenient means for not only receiving andtransporting the receptacles with articles to be washed, but also as ayrequired means for the positioning of the receptacles in alinement withthe ends of the washing machines preparatory to plac ing the receptaclesin said machine for the purpose of washing the articles carried therein.These racks further serve to receive the receptacles after the clothshave been washed and dried and for the transporting and posi tioning ofthe receptacles to a location for the distribution of the clothing.These receptacles, of which but four are shown, in

the drawings, are each formed of perforated metal so that the water mayflow through them freely, and are divided into a series of compartmentsgenerally triangular or sector shaped in cross section, preferably siXin number, and each compartment is provided with a door through whichthe clothes can be put into and removed from the compartments.

In view of the similarity of the construction of the several washingunits l will use similar reference characters upon each to indicatesimilar parts in describing in detail the several units, and follow thiswith a description of the common drive means the water supply and othercooperative features as are shown in the illustration of the multipleunit layout, as contained in the drawings.

Referring in detail to the characters of reference marked upon thedrawings 12-12 represent end frame members which are sub-- stantiallyalike in construction and preferably formed of metal. These end membersare provided with feet and together with an intermediate member 14 areseated upon the floor and serve to support and form a part of a largeelongated cylindrical reservoir 13 which is preferably formed of sheetmetal. This obviously forms the housing in which the Wash wheel,carrying the removable containers, before referred to, are rotatablymounted. A suitable number of Water outlet or drain pipes l5 areconnected to the bottom of the reservoir while suitable vents 16 ar.located in the top. rlhe water, chemicals and other ingredients may besupplied to these Washers through the main and branch pipes 17 and 18shown in Fig. 1.

The wash wheels of the several. units are rotated by power furnishedfrom a motor 19 which drives the shaft 20, carrying suitable worms 2lconnected with and driving gears 22 upon tlie shaft Q3 of each of theindividua-l units. These shafts are supported in suitable brackets Q4.and carry upon their outer ends relatively small gears 25 that mesh withand drive the larger gears Q6 mounted upon the rotatable hollow shaft 27of the Wash wheel, as will later be more fully explained.

The end frame members 12-12 of the reservoir 13 are provided withextended and thickened alined bearin g portions 8 in which the beforementioned hollow shaft 27 is secured. The said shaft extends out beyond.these bearing portions 28 for the attachment of the before mentionedgear 26 whereby the said hollow shaft and its wash wheel is rotated forthe purpose of washing the clothing. To the ends of the said hollowshaft 27 is secured a suitable clutch member 29 for the connectionthereto of a. similar clutch member 30 of the portable racks.

The Wash wheel contained within the reservoir is made up of threesomewhat similar TTL.'

` wheel and the third rotate-d centrally.. These beamte spider-likemembers 1130,32fone of' which is positioned at; oppositeendso thespiders e'aehinclude` a, 'hubfportion 8f3 that lis secured Vto thebefore"mentionedshaft 2'( in any `suitable mann-er; andfhaving radiallydisposed 1 spoke-like portions .Sil preferably ceptacles, for holdingtheclothes to be Washed, are positioned as will laterV again be referredto. While these spiders and the Wheel as a Whole, of Which they form apart, can be constructed tol form d Herent numbers o-.f pockets for thereceptacles 87, yetll have preferablyshovvn a construction, with Jfourpoeh-ets to accommodate fo r' off these recepA teclee, vvhichrmeans;that each of the spiders includes four spokes and lthat the Vtriengularor sector shaped spaces or pockets the-rebetween form; openings in andthrough which the receptacles are placed. These pockets andthereceptaclesgp-lacedtherein, are positionedin spaced relation to thecenter or aniso the vvash Wheel so that the receptacles containing theclothes to` be Washed-are revolved in alinement with the axis. proper.`1 'lhe cylindrical body 'of' the reservoir in which the Wash Wheelproperoperates. ijs closed except for the required pipe connections andthus ias no doors in its cylindrical vtaceWhatever for the reception orremoval of thgeclothes to be Washed. After the clothes to be Washed areplacedin the receptacles, saidreceptacles toeeth er with, the clothes,Aarey positioned iu the Washing machineA by being inserted throughari-opening 38, in,y one end` which if: normally closed by' a door 39mounted Jfor vertical operation in guides lO'in one of thc end framemembers` 1,2; There are two of these doors, one at each end ot themachine, and in practice both are opened'at once to alloy!V of thesimultaneous introduction and removal of receptacles.A These doors arenormallyclosed by gravity-and opened through the manual operation, of; ahandle ll and lever 12. The doors throiigh which vthese receptacles areinserted and removed are positioned in the upper end portions of themachineI and above'the level `of the Wash liquorand are, designedltoaline with one of. the pockets` of the Washy Wheel When the y latter isstationary and positioned to receive said; receptacles.` As they do, notextend below the level: oli the Water they need not llt; strictly Watertight.

g Channel iron strips4 35.v and 36 are prefy erably secured to theopposite side portions ot the spokes or armsBt to-` engage and guide theside portion. oi the receptacles, Whilethe angleV iron. 36 attached to'the opposite` sides of the. outer end portions ofthe -spokes serves forthe enga-gement and guidance of the outer around said axis and are in noWay parallel, longitudinalyedge *portion ofl the receptacles so 4astoeretain them in their rela--` tive position during the operation ofthewash Wheel'and also during: the Vinsertion and re moval of the saidreceptacles.

Inorderto insure a. free movement of the receptacles 37 into and out ofthe wash Wheel. I-p'rovide one or more series of rollers i3l upon Which`these receptacles are moved, said;

rollers being preferably mounted in one or more lengthsof relativelysmall channel irons 44. rEhe ends of Vthese channel irons fare looselypositioned in notches l5 in the .hule` of the spi-der sothat the saidchannel iro with their series of rolls are free to moveradiallywith'respectV to the airis of the Wash Wheel and in a Way to engage andsup-pow the-receptacles.

These channel irons and rollers 4:3 together with other mechanism, whichl will nextdoscribe, also serve tol loch the receptacles in position vbyforcing them out so that their parallel longitudinaledges will tirmlygrip the flanges ot the angle irons 38 carried by theY arms ofthespiders, Referring new more particularly to and d it will be seen.that Within the perforatedhollow shaft 27 I provide a longitudinal rodd6 that i-s posie tioned centrally'in alinement with the axis oi thewash Wheel and is mounted to rotate in'suitable bearingsl? ca riedWit-hin thehol-4 lov7 shaft, said rod being,` threaded in part as at 48to engage one oi' said bearings so.

that v-.f'hena Wrench or handle is applied to the outer headed end 49 ofthe said rod and is turned thereby, the said rod- Will be `given alongitudinal movement throughout the length of the said hollow shaftaround Which the perforated' receptacles are positioned. Uponthis'rotatable and longitudinallyv movable rod llo, l provide a'suitable number of conical' Wedges 50 which are carried with the saidrodY in both itsrotary and longitudinal movements. A series of radiallydisposed pins 51 are mounted in the hollow shaft around these conicalWedges and against which they normally engage. lhave shown. four suchpins in engagement with the Wedges and one of each of this series ofpinsis in yieldable engagement with the chan-ncll strips 44:; carrying;rolls 43 to,` support' the receptacles heretofore mentioned. Inasmuca asthere'are several of these Wedges and associated pin connections locatedat suitable distances apart, the channel irons are properly supportedthroughout their length.. A spiral spring 52 is mounted on the'said pin51 intermediate of a shoulder 53 thereof y the lunderside'ot the channeliron eid in. many ner to normally holdV the said, channel ironl and itsrolls in a radially extended position so as to properlyengage andrsupport `the inner longitudinal surfaceoifthe receptacles, as beforenoted The Wash wheel, before referred to, is

r secured to the said shaft and from which radiate spoke members Si, asheretofore de- 'preferably constructed are of a generally .'1 )i l 1 pt',can ,i scuote, anc in acti ion i pioaLW loi earn of said members a ring54 secured to and surrounding the end portions of the spokes 34%, saidring being so formed and applied as to form an annular band thatconforms to the outer peripheral faces ofthe receptacles so that thesame may be slid in under the band when being` placed into or removedfrom the wash wheel. .he receptacles 3T', as

elongated tubular design, made of perforated sheet metal and ofsubstantially triangular or sector shaped in cross section, to betterfit into the quarter section pockets of the wash wheel. As shown thesereceptacles are each divided into a series of six compartments 55, eachcompartment being` provided with a door adapted to be closed during thewashing` operation and opened when the receptacles have been transferredto the portable racks 5T and positioned for unloading ln Fig, i3 l haveshown al modification of this feature of the invention in theillustration of a single compartment receptacle adapted to be used withother similar receptaclcs in series and loaded into the pockets of thewash wheel, one against the other. from one end of the machine in thesame manner that the larger receptacles are in- 35` troduced, it beingobviously apparent that these individual or smaller receptacles would beof a proportionate length to permit desired number to be positioned in asingle pocket. The machine as described not only adapted for washingclothes when placed in the several compartments of the recepta clescarried by the wash wheel but is also adapted to dry the same afterbeing washed. For the purpose of the washing operation, the machinewould he filled with clothes before described, and the reservoir filledwith water through the pipe connections l? and 18, before mentioned, toabout the level of the shaft 4G whereupon the wheel is rotated backwardand forward, the water then changed and the operation repeated., andfinally when the washing` operation is finished the water is drained outthrough the bottom pipe l5. Steam then introduced through the pipe 59and annular port G0 of the hub 28, through perfo lsgi, ns (il ofthehollow shaft, and finally out through other perforations 62 of the sameshaft so that said steam may be introduced centrally throughout thelength of the washer in a manner to permeate the wet clothes and extractthe water therefrom.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. l, l0, 1l and l2 wherein l haveillustrated the portable racks 57 for handling the recentacles, it willbe seen that this rack is both portable and rotary, that is, the rackproper comprises a rotatable member and which in turn is mounted upon aportable frame or truck which allows the rack in which the receptaclesare mounted to be conveniently moved from one place to another. Thetruck includes a platform 63 which is mounted upon wheels 64 forcarrying supports 65 in which the central alined bearings G6 are formedto receive a longitudinal shaft GT. Upon the ends of this shaft aresecured clutch members 68 for connection to the before mentioned clutchmember `29 of the wash wheel shaft 27, so that the pockets of the rackmay be maintained in alinement with those of the wash wheel. This is ofparticular importance when the rack is but partially loaded withreceptacles as otherwise it might be difficult, due to the lack ofrotative balance of the rack frame when but partly loaded, to maintainthe desired pocket therein in position opposite to the door opening inthe reservoir to discharge into or receive a receptacie from the washwheel. The rotatable rack is mounted upon this shaft 67 'and between thebefore mentioned end supports G5 anc. is secured to rotate with theshaft. This rack is in part constructed somewhat after the style of thewash wheel in that it includes a plurality of spiders 69 comprising hubportion 70 mounted upon and secured to the before mentioned shaft 67,and radially disposed arms 7l.

The arms of the several spiders are in alincment, one with the other,and connected by longitudinal guide strips 72 and angle iron 73 betweenand against which the receptacles are adapted to be placed and secured.The receptacles are placed in these racks by being` shoved in from theend in substantially the same position and manner that they are placedin the wash wheels and are arranged in annular spaced relation to eachother and likewise in spaced relation to the anis of the rotary memberof the rack in which they are mounted.

l simple form of spring catch 74 may be attached to the outer face ofthe arms of the end spiders in a way to engage the face of the end ofthe receptacles to hold them against any slight tendency towardlongitudinal displacement that might occur. A series of rollers 75carried in brackets 76 secured to the central shaft G7 serve to supportand facilitate the introduction and removal of the receptacles when slidinto and removed from the racks. Each of these brackets is provided witha series of arms and rollers and the arms and rollers of the series ofbrackets are in alinement with each other so that one roll of eachbracket will engage and support the inner face of a receptacle. Theseracks can be loaded with wash and unloaded to the best advantage whenarranged in the formation shown in Fig. l2, in which case the used.

substantially centrally of the formation andf' in easy reach of thecompartments of each ofi' The particular system to be;`

the containers. p followed in this distribution would be for the ment,No. 6 for instance, of a container carried in each rack and indistributing the whites in No. 5 of one rack, the lights in No. 6 of theacent rack, and 'the darks in No. 6 of the third rack, thus segregatingthe various classes of goods in each wash, where-L upon the three saidcompartments would be closed. The compartment No. s of the saine threeracks would next be opened and the further operation of distributionsimilarly repeated; This method is carried out in the filling of thetwenty-four compartments of each rack. After the clothes have beenwashed and the racks again returned and positioned, as shown in Fig. 12,the same order would be followed in the assembling of the severalportions -of the respective washes of the different customers, that isthe. corresponding compartments of the several similarly positionedreceptacles would be opened simultaneously to collect the whites fromone, the lights from another and the darks from the third, and then thethree kinds of clothes put together tocomplete all the articlesbelonging to asingle customer. When this method is followed all of thecompartments of any one rack contain thesame class of goods, as white,lights or darks, and the compartments of the several racks are treatedfor landering separately and simultaneously in separate units when threeunits are used, o successively when one unit is Thus the washings of theseveral classes are kept separate, while such a relationsliip betweenthe goods of the several washes is maintained that correct reassembly ofall-the goods of each wash is made easy.

I claim: i

l. In combination a. wash wheel having a frame defining an annularseries of sector shaped pockets open at their ends, means for supportingsaid frame for rotation about the airis of said annular series ofpockets, a reservoir in which said frame is positioned and having alinedopenings in its ends directly over the axis of rotation of said frameand opposite to which said open pocket ends may be successivelypresented, doors with downwardly converging side edges normally closingsaid openings, and clothes compartments insertable and removable throughsaid openings into and out of said pockets.

2. The combination with a reservoir of a washing machine and a framehaving an annular series of open endedpockets in said reservoir, a shaftfor rotatably support-ing said frame about the axis of said series, andextending beyond the end of said reservoir,

. saidreservoirl having larilo'pfening witliA -vvi'hich an elleHY 0f@ich l reeket' mariseltrlr fb@- bousllt ist@ reentry by rebaten Oise-idframe, of a rack having ashaft which'ni-ay broughttfiiito axial`alinement with `'said operator to open a corresponding compara"`wasl'iing vmachine shaft, means :for

Shaffesther iframe' fixed to 'Said "rack shaft and'fhaving'an annularseries'of wash of a particular customer, to put the openeiidedV ipocketssimilar tothe pocketsof said;washingI frame,"and laundry receivingreceptacles slidablyvltittine in said pockets and transferable bymovement lengthwise 0f said shafts from one to the other of said framesthrough said opening when said shafts are iii coupled relation. t

3. The combinationwith a washing machine having a reservoir and a framerotatable in said reservoir and having an annular series of open endedpockets, said reservoir having oppositely disposed end openings withwhich said pockets may be brought successively into registry, of a pairof racks each having a rotatable frame having an annular series of openended pockets similar to the pockets of said machine frame, said racksbeing movable from and to positions with their respective pocketsin'aXial alinement with the pockets of said machine frame, laundryreceiving receptacles slidably fitting in said pockets Y. whereby areceptacle in any of the pockets of" said machine frame may be pushedout of said machine frame through one of said openings into a pocket ofone of said racks by engagement therewith of a similar receptacle beingpushed into the machine pocket through the opposite opening from thealined pocket of said other rack, and means' for couplingV the frames ofsaid racks with said machine frame for simultaneous rotation.

4. A wash wheel comprising acentral" shaft, a frame carried by saidshaft defining an annular series of pockets, removable clothesreceptacles for said pockets, and

means movable axially of said shaft for simulu taneously clamping orunclamping said re` along said shaft, a. removable clothes recep!" taclefor each of said pockets, a member mov able axially through said hollowshaft, and means engageable with said receptacles and forcing themoutwardly into clamping en-M gagement with said frame when said memberis moved in one direction and movable inwardly to release saidreceptacles on movement of said member in the opposite direc` tion.

6. A washing machine comprising a reservoir, a rotary shaft extendingaxially of said reservoir, a frame fixed to said shaft and'de- 'izoiining an annular series of pockets, the ends of said reservoir havingsector shaped open-y ings directly over said shaft for successiveregistry With said pockets as said shaft is rotated, doors Withdownwardly converging side edges for normally closing said openings, andclothes receptacles insertable through one of said openings into thepockets presented successively in registry therewith, said receptaclesbeing removable from said pockets through the other of said openings.

In testimony whereof I have afIiXed my signature.

THOMAS L. LOWE.

